CN107278144A - Dental treatment system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an oral treatment system that emits electromagnetic radiation onto the tooth surfaces of a user and that also dispenses oral treatment material for contact with the user's teeth. In one aspect, the oral treatment system includes a mouthpiece comprising a wall and an occlusal platform extending from the wall, both of which together define a first groove for receiving teeth of a user; an electromagnetic radiation source coupled to to the mouthpiece and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation onto the surface of the user's teeth positioned in the first groove; and in at least one of the wall or the bite platform one or more orifices configured to dispense oral treatment material into the first groove to engage with the surface of the user's teeth positioned in the first groove touch.

Description

Dental treatment system

Background technique

Oral treatments such as teeth whitening and tooth sensitivity care are growing in popularity. Dentists and patients alike are looking for technology that is both convenient and comfortable. Typically, to whiten a user's teeth, a peroxide-containing composition is applied to the teeth and allowed to remain in contact with the teeth to be bleached for a period of time. Current systems can be used to enhance the effectiveness of the whitening composition by allowing the user to apply radiation or light to tooth surfaces that have been previously coated with a whitening composition. However, currently available systems are cumbersome, rigid and undesirable for one or more reasons. In particular, current systems do not deliver radiation or light onto a user's prepainted teeth uniformly and in a manner that effectively covers the entire tooth surface. Therefore, there is a need for a tooth whitening system that can effectively emit radiation or light onto a user's teeth.

Additionally, current systems require the user to manually apply a whitening composition to his/her teeth, and then hold a radiation or light source to the tooth surfaces for applying radiation or light to those surfaces. With currently available systems, an inexperienced or careless user may apply an excessive amount of whitening composition, with the result that the excess material must be removed and discarded, which wastes time and material. In addition, excess material may irritate gums or other tissues that are not intended to come into contact with large quantities of whitening compositions. Accordingly, there is a need for a tooth whitening system that dispenses an appropriate amount of a tooth whitening composition and emits radiation onto the surface of a user's teeth with increased efficacy and ease of use.

Contents of the invention

In one aspect, the invention may relate to an oral treatment system that emits electromagnetic radiation onto oral surfaces, including but not limited to a user's teeth or oral soft tissues. In some aspects, electromagnetic radiation is emitted by an electromagnetic radiation source coupled to a wall of the mouthpiece. The source of electromagnetic radiation may include a flexible circuit and a plurality of lighting elements located thereon. In some aspects, the source of electromagnetic radiation is a printed light emitting diode circuit. In other aspects of the invention, the oral treatment system can dispense oral care material into contact with the tooth surfaces of the user. Oral care materials can be tooth whitening materials or other materials. An oral treatment system may include a mouthpiece or other structure that supports a source of electromagnetic radiation and holds an oral treatment material. Additional electronic components such as processors and power supplies may also be included in the system.

In another aspect, the invention may be an oral treatment system comprising: a mouthpiece comprising a wall and an occlusal platform extending from the wall, both of which together define a first groove for receiving teeth of a user; an electromagnetic radiation source coupled to the mouthpiece and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation onto the surface of the user's teeth positioned in the first groove; and at one or more of at least one of the wall or the bite platform An orifice, the one or more orifices configured to dispense oral treatment material to the first groove for contact with a surface of a user's teeth positioned in the first groove.

In yet another aspect, the present invention may be an oral treatment system comprising: a mouthpiece comprising a wall having an inner surface and an opposite outer surface and a bite platform extending from the inner surface of the wall, the wall cooperating with a bite guide defining a first groove for receiving the user's teeth; an electromagnetic radiation source coupled to the mouthpiece and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation onto a surface of the user's teeth positioned in the first groove; and an opening , which is formed in the outer surface of the wall and forms a passage to a distribution manifold located in at least one of the wall and the bite guide, the distribution manifold extending from the opening in the outer surface of the wall to one or more orifices , the one or more orifices configured to dispense oral treatment material into the first groove for contact with a surface of a user's teeth positioned in the first groove.

In another aspect, the invention may be an oral treatment system comprising: a mouthpiece comprising a wall and an occlusal platform extending from the wall, both of which together define a first groove for receiving teeth of a user, The bite platform has a cavity for storing oral treatment material; an electromagnetic radiation source coupled to the mouthpiece and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation onto the surface of the user's teeth positioned in the first groove; or one or more orifices in at least one of the occlusal platforms, the one or more orifices fluidly coupled to the oral treatment material in the cavity through which the tooth whitening material passes in response to extrusion of the occlusal platforms A plurality of apertures are assigned to the first groove for contacting the surface of the user's teeth positioned in the first groove.

In yet another aspect, the invention may be an oral treatment system comprising: a mouthpiece including a wall configured to be positioned adjacent to a user's teeth; a source of electromagnetic radiation coupled to the wall of the mouthpiece, the electromagnetic radiation The source includes a first flexible circuit and a plurality of first lighting elements positioned on the first flexible circuit, the source of electromagnetic radiation being configured to emit electromagnetic radiation onto a surface of a user's teeth.

In another aspect, the present invention may be an oral treatment system comprising: a mouthpiece comprising a wall and an bite platform extending from the wall, the wall of the mouthpiece comprising a wall upper portion extending upwardly from the bite platform and extending downward from the bite platform. The lower portion of the downwardly extending wall, the upper portion of the wall and the upper surface of the bite platform form a first groove configured to receive the upper teeth of the user, the lower portion of the wall and the lower surface of the bite platform form a first groove configured to receive the lower teeth of the user Two grooves, the occlusal platform is positioned between the user's upper and lower teeth; a first electromagnetic radiation source, coupled to the upper portion of the wall and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation onto the user's upper body positioned in the first groove on the surface of the tooth, a second source of electromagnetic radiation coupled to the lower portion of the wall and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation onto the surface of the user's lower tooth positioned in the second groove; and the first source of electromagnetic radiation comprising a first A flexible circuit and a plurality of first lighting elements on the first flexible circuit and the second source of electromagnetic radiation includes a second flexible circuit and a plurality of second lighting elements on the second flexible circuit.

In yet another aspect, the invention may be an oral treatment system comprising: a mouthpiece including a wall configured to be positioned adjacent teeth of a user's oral cavity; an electromagnetic radiation source coupled to the mouthpiece and configured to emitting electromagnetic radiation onto the surface of the user's teeth; and one or more apertures in the mouthpiece configured to dispense oral treatment material to the user's teeth positioned adjacent the wall surface contact.

Other areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

Description of drawings

The invention will be more fully understood from the detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1A is a front perspective view of a teeth whitening system according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 1B is a rear perspective view of the tooth whitening system of Figure 1A;

2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1A, illustrating an electromagnetic radiation source coupled to a mouthpiece and emitting electromagnetic radiation;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Figure 1A, wherein the user's teeth are engaged with the mouthpiece;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of that shown in Figure 3, with the tooth whitening material positioned in the groove between the user's teeth and the mouthpiece;

5A is a first alternative cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 1A, wherein the capsule containing the tooth whitening material is located between the front surface of the user's teeth and the mouthpiece;

Figure 5B is a close-up of area VB in Figure 5A, where the capsule is dissolving to dispense tooth whitening material into contact with the user's teeth;

6A is a second alternative cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 1A , with the capsule containing the tooth whitening material trapped between the bottom edge of the user's teeth and the mouthpiece;

Fig. 6B is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 6A, wherein the capsule has been ruptured to dispense tooth whitening material into contact with the user's teeth;

Fig. 7A is a third alternative cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Fig. 1A, wherein the mouthpiece has a cavity for storing tooth whitening material;

Figure 7B is a cross-sectional view of Figure 7A, wherein tooth whitening material is being dispensed from the cavity;

Figure 8 is a front perspective view of a teeth whitening system according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 8 illustrating an electromagnetic radiation source coupled to the mouthpiece and emitting electromagnetic radiation and a container containing a tooth whitening material coupled to the mouthpiece;

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X in Figure 8, with the user's teeth engaged with the mouthpiece and the dispensed tooth whitening material in contact with the user's teeth;

11 is a front perspective view of a tooth whitening system according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII in FIG. 11 illustrating an electromagnetic radiation source coupled to a mouthpiece and emitting electromagnetic radiation and a container containing a tooth whitening material coupled to the mouthpiece;

detailed description

The following description of preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application or uses.

The description of illustrative embodiments in accordance with the principles of the invention is intended to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered a part of the entire written description. In the description of the embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is for convenience of description only and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. Relative terms such as "lower", "upper", "horizontal", "vertical", "above", "below", "upward", "downward", "top" and "bottom" and their derivatives (e.g. , "horizontally", "downwardly", "upwardly", etc.) are to be understood as referring to orientations as described later or shown in the drawings in the discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description only and do not require the device to be constructed or operated in a particular orientation unless specifically stated to be so. Terms such as "attached," "attached," "connected," "coupled," "interconnected," and similar words refer to a relationship in which structures are fixed or attached to each other, either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as in which both are movable. or fixed attachment or relationship, unless expressly stated otherwise. Furthermore, the features and benefits of the invention are exemplified with reference to the exemplary embodiments. The invention should therefore expressly not be limited to such exemplary embodiments showing some possible non-limiting combinations of features which may be present alone or in combination with other features; the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Additionally, it should be noted that although the oral treatment system of the present invention is described herein as a tooth whitening device, it should be understood that the invention is not so limited. For example, in certain embodiments, the oral treatment systems of the present invention can be configured to emit light for other oral treatment purposes, including but not limited to: enhanced oral tissue healing, antimicrobial purposes, treatment of tooth sensitivity, disinfection, cleaning and their combinations. In such other embodiments, the characteristics of the light emitted by the oral treatment devices of the present invention will be selected to achieve the desired treatment, such as wavelength, intensity, power, optical density, and/or other characteristics. In yet other embodiments, the benefits of the oral treatment system may be determined by the oral care materials used in conjunction therewith and/or included in the reservoir. For example, in certain embodiments, the oral care treatment system may be used in conjunction with other oral care materials including, but not limited to: antimicrobials, antisensitizers, anti-inflammatory agents, antisticking agents, plaque indicators, flavoring ingredients, sensates, breath fresheners, gum health agents and colorants. Examples of such agents include metal ions (e.g. stannous, copper, zinc, silver), triclosan, triclosan monophosphate, chlorhexidine, alexidine, hexidine Tidine, Sanguinarine, Benzalkonium Chloride, Salicylanilide, Domiphene Bromide, Cetylpyridinium Chloride, Tetradecylpyridinium Chloride, N-Tetradecyl-4-Ethyl Pyridine Chloride (TDEPC), Octenidine, Dimopinol, Octinol, Nisin, Essential Oils, Furanones, Bacteriocins, Flavans, Flavonoids, Folic Acid, Vitamins, Minerals, Hydrogen Peroxide , carbamide peroxide, sodium percarbonate, PVP-H2O2, polymer-bonded peroxide, potassium nitrate, plugging agent, bioactive glass, arginine salt, arginine bicarbonate, bacalin, Polyphenol, ethyl pyruvate, guanidinoethyl disulfide, tartar preventive agent, anti-stain ingredient, phosphate, polyvinylphosphonic acid, PVM/MA copolymer, enzyme, glucose oxidase, papain, Ficin, Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate, Menthol, Carvone and Anethole, Various Flavored Aldehydes, Esters and Alcohols, Oil of Spearmint, Oil of Peppermint, Oil of Wintergreen, Oil of Sassafras, Oil of Clove, Clover oil, eucalyptus oil, marjoram oil, cinnamon oil, lemon oil, lime oil, grapefruit oil and/or orange oil.

Referring to FIGS. 1A to 3 concurrently, a tooth whitening system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. It is known that in tooth whitening systems, more effective whitening results can be achieved by applying a tooth whitening material to the user's teeth and then projecting light or electromagnetic radiation onto the teeth pre-coated with the tooth whitening material to activate the tooth whitening material . Many of these systems require the user to manually apply a tooth whitening material to his/her teeth and then emit light or electromagnetic radiation onto his/her teeth. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, tooth whitening system 100 dispenses tooth whitening material onto the user's teeth in a single action (or in an automated sequence of actions) and emits light or electromagnetic radiation onto the user's teeth, thereby Reduces the number of steps a user needs to undergo a teeth whitening process and reduces the time it takes a user to whiten his/her teeth. Being an all-in-one containment system, the tooth whitening system 100 of the present invention is portable and easy to use.

Although several embodiments of the invention presented herein are described as a device for dispensing tooth whitening material and emitting light or electromagnetic radiation onto a user's teeth, all embodiments of the invention are not limited to devices such as Such a double action. Conversely, in some embodiments, the tooth whitening system 100 may only emit light or electromagnetic radiation onto the user's teeth without dispensing a tooth whitening material onto the user's teeth. Accordingly, in certain embodiments, specific details related to the dispensing of the tooth whitening material and the structures and components to effectuate the dispensing of the tooth whitening material may be omitted. In some embodiments, the present invention is directed to a tooth whitening system that emits electromagnetic radiation onto a user's teeth but does not dispense a whitening composition. In such an embodiment, the tooth whitening system would have all of the components described below needed to achieve the generation/transmission of electromagnetic radiation while omitting the components needed to achieve the dispensing of the whitening composition.

In an exemplary embodiment, the tooth whitening system 100 generally includes a mouthpiece 101, a housing 102 coupled to the mouthpiece 101, an electromagnetic radiation source 103 coupled to the mouthpiece 101, and one or more orifice 104 . The one or more orifices 104 are configured to dispense tooth whitening material in contact with the surface of a user's teeth. Thus, in embodiments that do not include dispensing of tooth whitening material, the one or more orifices may be omitted. The electromagnetic radiation source 103 is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation onto the surface of a user's teeth. The details of dispensing tooth whitening material and emitting electromagnetic radiation onto a user's teeth are described in more detail below.

In certain embodiments, the mouthpiece 101 may be formed from food-grade polymers, including, but not limited to, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene naphthalate, for example (PEN), polyethylene (PE), silicone, ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM), and other plastics. Of course, all embodiments of the invention are not so limited, and other materials may be used to construct the mouthpiece 101 . In particular, in certain embodiments, the mouthpiece 101, or at least its bite platform 106, may be formed from a compressible material, which may be one of the materials described above or may be hard rubber or the like. Mouthpiece 101 is intended to be placed in the user's mouth to come into contact with the user's oral surfaces and saliva, so the material used to form mouthpiece 101 should be non-toxic and have no unpleasant taste.

The structure of the mouthpiece 101 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1A to 3 . The mouthpiece 101 generally includes a wall 105 and a bite platform 106 extending from the wall 105 . Wall 105 and bite platform 106 together form one or more grooves for receiving a user's teeth during tooth whitening. More specifically, in the exemplary embodiment, the wall 105 of the mouthpiece 101 includes an upper wall portion 105a extending upwardly from an upper surface 107 of the bite platform 106 and a lower wall portion 105b extending downwardly from a lower surface 108 of the bite platform 106 . The upper wall portion 105a and the upper surface 107 of the bite platform 106 together form a first groove 109 for receiving the user's upper teeth 198 during teeth whitening, and the lower wall portion 105b and the lower surface 108 of the bite platform 106 together form a first groove 109 for receiving the user's upper teeth 198 during teeth whitening The second groove 110 receives the user's lower teeth 199 during whitening. During use, the mouthpiece 101 is inserted into the user's mouth such that the bite platform 106 is trapped or sandwiched between the user's upper teeth 198 and lower teeth 199, with the upper wall portion 105a of the wall 105 facing the front surface of the user's upper teeth 198. , and the wall lower portion 105b of the wall 105 faces the front surface of the user's lower teeth 199 .

The upper wall portion 105a extends from a proximal end 111 coupled to the articulation platform 106 to a distal end 112 . Furthermore, the wall upper part 105a comprises an inner surface 113 facing the user's teeth when the mouthpiece 101 is in use and an outer surface 114 opposite thereto. The inner surface 113 of the wall upper portion 105a has a recess formed therein. More specifically, a first portion 116 of the inner surface 113 of the upper wall portion 105a extends from the occlusal platform 106 to a shoulder 117 of the upper wall portion 105a and a second portion 118 of the inner surface 113 of the upper wall portion 105a extends from the shoulder 117 of the upper wall portion 105a. Extends to distal end 112. A first portion 116 of the inner surface 113 of the upper wall portion 105a is recessed relative to a second portion 118 of the inner surface 113 of the upper wall portion 105a. In other words, the upper wall portion 105a has a first thickness T1 measured between the upper wall portion 105a outer surface 114 and the first portion 116 of the upper wall portion 105a inner surface 113 and between the upper wall portion 105a outer surface 114 and the upper wall portion 105a inner surface. The second thickness T2 measured between the second portion 118 of 113 . The second thickness T2 is greater than the first thickness T1.

The lower wall portion 105b has an inner surface 121 and an opposite outer surface 122 . The inner surface 121 of the lower wall portion 105b has a recess similar to the recess of the upper wall portion 105 as described above. Generally speaking, the structure of the lower wall part 105b is the same as that of the upper wall part 105a, and will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity. As can be seen from the particular embodiment of FIG. 3 , the inner surfaces 113 , 121 of the upper wall portion 105 a and the lower wall portion 105 b of the wall 105 are offset from each other. Thus, the longitudinal axis centered through the upper wall portion 105a from the proximal end 111 to the distal end 112 does not intersect the lower wall portion 105b. Due to the general shape of the user's bite (with the upper teeth in front of the lower teeth), doing so in this exemplary embodiment improves the comfort of the mouthpiece 101 during use. Of course, all embodiments of the invention are not thus limited, and the inner surfaces 113, 121 of the upper wall portion 105a and the lower wall portion 105b need not be offset in all embodiments. Although offset in the exemplary embodiment, the inner surfaces 113, 121 of the upper wall portion 105a and the lower wall portion 105b are substantially parallel to each other.

An occlusal platform 106 extends from wall 105 to a distal or distal end. The inner surface 113 of the upper wall portion 105a is located at a first distance distal to the articulation platform 106 and the inner surface 121 of the lower wall portion 105b is located at a second distance distal to the articulation platform 106, the first distance being greater than the second distance. Furthermore, the outer surface 122 of the lower wall portion 105b is offset from the inner surface 116 of the upper wall portion 105a, which is positioned at a greater distance from the distal end of the occlusal platform 106 than the outer surface 122 of the lower wall portion 105b.

The structure of the upper wall portion 105 a and the lower wall portion 105 b of the wall 105 facilitates the formation of the first groove 109 and the second groove 110 . In particular, with respect to upper wall portion 105a, second portion 118 of inner surface 113 of upper wall portion 105a contacts the user's gums adjacent upper teeth 198 of the user when mouthpiece 101 is properly inserted into the user's mouth. Since the first portion 116 of the inner surface 113 of the upper wall portion 105a is recessed relative to the second portion 118 of the inner surface 113 of the upper wall portion 105a, the user's teeth 198 pass through the first groove 109 and the first portion 116 of the inner surface 113 of the upper wall portion 105a. Spaced out. Thus, in embodiments including a dispensing feature, the first groove 109 provides a location where tooth whitening material (or any other desired oral care agent) can be dispensed for use during tooth whitening (or other types of oral care) treatment) in contact with the user's teeth during the program.

In an exemplary embodiment, the inner surface 113 of the upper wall portion 105a has a concave shape corresponding to or complementary to the collective shape of the front surface of the user's upper teeth 198 or labial/buccal surfaces, and the inner surface 121 of the lower wall portion 105b has a concave shape corresponding to the user's upper teeth 198 front surface or labial/buccal surface. Or the collective shape of the front surface of the lower teeth 199 or the labial/buccal surface corresponds or complements the concave shape. More specifically, the inner surface 113 of the upper wall portion 105a has a shape corresponding to at least a portion of the maxillary arch of the user's teeth and the inner surface 121 of the lower wall portion 105b has a shape corresponding to at least a portion of the mandibular arch of the user's teeth. Similarly, the first groove 109 has an arcuate or curved shape corresponding to the shape of the maxillary arch of the user's teeth and the second groove 110 has an arcuate or curved shape corresponding to the shape of the mandibular arch of the user's teeth. This enhances the conformity of the mouthpiece 101 to the user's mouth during use.

The bite platform 106 extends from the wall 105 at a location between the upper wall portion 105a and the lower wall portion 105b of the wall 105 . In the exemplary embodiment, the articulation platform 106 and the wall 105 are connected at an angle of approximately 90 degrees, however all embodiments of the invention are not so limited, and in other embodiments the articulation platform 106 and the wall 105 may be connected at other angles. During treatment, the occlusal platform 106 forms a horizontal occlusal surface for the user to engage his/her teeth 198, 199 to maintain the mouthpiece 101 in the desired position within the user's mouth.

The bite platform 106 includes a first ridge 119 extending upwardly from the upper surface 107 of the bite platform 106 and a second ridge 120 extending downwardly from the lower surface 108 of the bite platform 106 . In the exemplary embodiment, each of the first ridge 119 and the second ridge 120 is an elongated and arcuate protrusion extending back from the occlusal platform 106 . Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiment, the first ridge 119 is a curved ridge with a curvature that matches the collective curvature of the rear surface (i.e., the lingual surface) of the user's upper teeth, and the second ridge 120 is a curvature that matches the user's The collective curvature of the posterior surface of the lower teeth (ie, the lingual surface) matches the curved ridge. Of course, all embodiments of the invention are not so limited, and in all embodiments, first ridge 119 and second ridge 120 need not be elongate or arcuate. Specifically, in some embodiments, first ridge 119 and second ridge 120 may be formed from a plurality of discrete ridges rather than a single continuous ridge.

The first ridge 119 is spaced from the upper wall portion 105a by a gap (ie, at least a portion of the first groove 109), and the second ridge 120 is separated from the lower wall portion 105b by a gap (ie, at least a portion of the second groove 110). Spaced out. In an exemplary embodiment, the gap between the first ridge 119 and the upper wall portion 105a and the gap between the second ridge 120 and the lower wall portion 105b have the same width so that when the mouthpiece 101 is inserted into the user's mouth , the distance between the user's upper teeth and the upper wall portion 105a is the same as the distance between the user's lower teeth and the lower wall portion 105b.

The first ridge 119 provides the rear surface of the user's upper teeth 198 with abutment during use of the mouthpiece 101, and the second ridge 120 provides the rear surface of the user's lower teeth 199 with abutment during use of the mouthpiece 101. Structure. Therefore, when the user inserts the mouthpiece 101 into his/her mouth, the user will know exactly where the teeth are on the mouthpiece 101 based on the positions of the first ridge 119 and the second ridge 120, so as to ensure that the teeth Sufficient spacing from wall 105 so that tooth whitening material can be dispensed into first groove 109 and second groove 110 . As can be seen in FIG. 3 , in the exemplary embodiment, first ridge 119 and second ridge 120 are offset from each other. Doing so in the exemplary embodiment increases user comfort because the offset properties of the first ridge 119 and second ridge 120 mimic the offset properties of the user's upper and lower teeth (typically the user's upper gear ratio The user's lower teeth extend further forward towards the front of the mouth). Of course, in yet other embodiments, the first ridge 119 and the second ridge 120 may be omitted altogether, and the appropriate spacing between the user's teeth and the wall 105 may be through recesses in the various portions of the wall 105 as described above. Structural realization.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as including an upper wall portion 105a and a lower wall portion 105b, all embodiments of the invention are not so limited. In certain other embodiments, the mouthpiece 101 may include the bite platform 106 and only one of the upper wall portion 105a and the lower wall portion 105b. In this way, a mouthpiece comprising the bite platform 106 and the upper wall portion 105a can be used to treat the user's upper teeth. A separate mouthpiece comprising the bite platform 106 and wall lower portion 105b may be used to treat the user's lower teeth. Therefore, an alternative embodiment includes two separate mouthpieces, one for treating the upper teeth and one for treating the lower teeth. This alternative embodiment may be advantageous when it is desired to treat only the upper or lower teeth, but can also be used to treat both. Thus, mouthpiece 101 may be a single unitary structure for treating both upper and lower teeth simultaneously, or two separate structures, one for upper teeth and the other for lower teeth.

Still referring to FIGS. 1A-3 , as described above, the tooth whitening system 100 also includes an electromagnetic radiation source 103 coupled to the mouthpiece. In an exemplary embodiment, the electromagnetic radiation sources 103 include a first electromagnetic radiation source 103a coupled to the upper wall portion 105a and a second electromagnetic radiation source 103b coupled to the lower wall portion 105b. More specifically, in the exemplary embodiment, the first electromagnetic radiation source 103a is coupled to the first portion 116 of the inner surface 113 of the upper wall portion 105a such that the first electromagnetic radiation source 103a is located within the recess of the upper wall portion 105a. Similarly, in the exemplary embodiment, the second electromagnetic radiation source 103b is coupled to the inner surface 121 of the lower wall portion 105b such that the second electromagnetic radiation source 103b is located within the recess of the lower wall portion 105b. Of course, all embodiments of the invention are not so limited, and in some embodiments, the first source of electromagnetic radiation 103a may be coupled to the upper surface 107 of the articulation platform 106, and/or in some embodiments, the second source of electromagnetic radiation Source 103b may be coupled to lower surface 108 of bite platform 106 . In other embodiments, the first electromagnetic radiation source 103a may be coupled to the upper surface 107 of the articulation platform 106 and the upper wall portion 105a and second electromagnetic radiation source 103b may be coupled to the lower surface 108 of the articulation platform 106 and the lower wall portion 105b.

Although the first electromagnetic radiation source 103a is positioned within the recess of the upper wall portion 105a, the exposed outer surface of the first electromagnetic radiation source 103a is still recessed relative to the second portion 118 of the inner surface 113 of the upper wall portion 105a. This ensures that there is space between the user's teeth 198 and the first source of electromagnetic radiation 103a so that tooth whitening material dispensed by the device or pre-applied to the teeth can be located within this space during the whitening protocol. The same is true for the second source of electromagnetic radiation 103b, since it is recessed relative to a second portion of the inner surface 121 of the lower wall portion 105b.

The electromagnetic radiation source 103 is coupled to the mouthpiece 101 in such a way that it emits electromagnetic radiation to the surfaces of the user's teeth 198, 199 when the user's teeth 198, 199 are positioned within the first groove 109 and the second groove 110. superior. Specifically, the upper user teeth 198 are located within the first groove 109 and the lower user teeth 199 are located within the second groove 110 when the mouthpiece 101 is properly positioned within the user's mouth. In this position, the electromagnetic radiation source 103 may suitably emit electromagnetic radiation onto the surfaces of the user's teeth 198,199. In an exemplary embodiment, the first electromagnetic radiation source 103a and the second electromagnetic radiation source 103b are coupled to inner surfaces 113, 121 of the upper wall portion 105a and the lower wall portion 105b, respectively. Thus, the first electromagnetic radiation source 103a and the second electromagnetic radiation source 103b are curved such that their concave surfaces face the user's teeth when the mouthpiece 101 is positioned in the user's mouth. During use, the first electromagnetic radiation source 103a and the second electromagnetic radiation source 103b are configured to emit electromagnetic radiation onto the front surfaces (ie, lips/cheeks) of the upper teeth 198 and lower teeth 199 of the user, respectively. In certain embodiments, the first electromagnetic radiation source 103a and the second electromagnetic radiation source 103b are configured to emit electromagnetic radiation that is normal (i.e., at an angle of about 90 degrees) to the surfaces of the user's upper teeth 198 and lower teeth 199 touch. Of course, electromagnetic radiation may be emitted to other surfaces of the user's upper teeth 198 and lower teeth 199 or to other surfaces of the mouthpiece 101, as described above, to which the first electromagnetic radiation source 103a and the second electromagnetic radiation source 103b are coupled. partly on.

In some embodiments, the first electromagnetic radiation source 103a and the second electromagnetic radiation source 103b can be enclosed or integrally formed in the mouthpiece 101, so that a part of the mouthpiece 101 covers the first electromagnetic radiation source 103a and the second electromagnetic radiation source 103a. Radiation source 103b. Thus, the electromagnetic radiation sources 103a, 103b may not be exposed, but may be protected by parts of the mouthpiece 101 which may seal or protect the electromagnetic radiation sources 103a, 103b from damage by saliva and teeth. In such embodiments, the portion of the mouthpiece 101 covering the first and second electromagnetic radiation sources 103a, 103b may be transparent or translucent to allow the first and second electromagnetic radiation sources 103a, 103b to The emitted electromagnetic radiation passes through it.

The electromagnetic radiation source 103 (and more specifically, each of the first electromagnetic radiation source 103a and the second electromagnetic radiation source 103b) may be any type of desired electromagnetic radiation source 103 that emits electromagnetic radiation when powered. . In certain embodiments, the source of electromagnetic radiation 103 includes a first flexible circuit 129 ( FIG. 2 ) having a plurality of first lighting elements 130 thereon. In the exemplary embodiment, only a few of the first lighting elements 130 are labeled to avoid clutter, and only a few of the first lighting elements 130 are depicted as emitting light, but it should be appreciated that during use most or all All the first lighting elements 130 will emit light. In certain exemplary embodiments, first plurality of lighting elements 130 are light emitting diodes (LEDs), and the terms lighting elements and LEDs are used interchangeably herein. Although LEDs are described herein, in certain embodiments, the first lighting element 130 can be any type of light source, particularly solid state light sources, which can include LEDs, OLEDs, HBLEDs, electroluminescent elements, and the like.

The first flexible circuit 129 may be a flat, flexible substrate or sheet that glows when power is applied to it. The first flexible circuit 129 may have opposing planar, flat major surfaces (ie, front and rear surfaces). Additionally, in certain embodiments, the first flexible circuit 129 of the source of electromagnetic radiation 103 may be a printed light emitting diode. Printed LEDs can be formed by depositing micro LED chips, ideal for optimized efficacy, via a conductive ink formulation that can be printed in any shape to conform optimally to tooth and jaw structures. Specifically, in some embodiments, gallium nitride can be used to form LEDs, which can then be mixed with resins and binders to form an ink, and a standard screen printer can be used to deposit the resulting ink onto the desired surface superior. The substrate or first flexible circuit 129 may be a thin plastic film or paper and may be formed to match the contour of the mouthpiece 101 . In certain embodiments, it is only desirable that the source of electromagnetic radiation 103 be conductive, flexible, and able to conform snugly to the contours of the teeth. In this regard, the electromagnetic radiation source 103 may be a printed inorganic LED, a conventional micro LED surface mounted to a flexible substrate/circuit, an organic LED (OLED), or electroluminescent. In yet other embodiments, the source of electromagnetic radiation 103 can be any of the LEDs described herein mounted to a rigid rather than flexible substrate. In certain embodiments, the electromagnetic radiation source 103 is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in the range of 385nm to 520nm, however the invention is not thereby limited and electromagnetic radiation outside the above range is also possible. In an exemplary embodiment, a plurality of first lighting elements 130 are shown positioned on or embedded in first flexible circuit 129 . In some embodiments, there are thousands or even millions of first lighting elements 130 positioned on or embedded in first flexible circuit 129 . Due to the large number of first lighting elements 130 formed on or embedded in first flexible circuit 129, even if some of first lighting elements 130 burn out or become inoperable, electromagnetic radiation source 103 can still operate effectively for tooth whitening. All embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the number of first lighting elements 130, but in certain embodiments it is desirable that the number of first lighting elements 130 be sufficient to ensure that electromagnetic radiation is emitted to each tooth in the manner described herein.

In the exemplary embodiment, tooth whitening system 100 also includes housing 102 coupled to mouthpiece 101 . In an exemplary embodiment, the housing 102 extends from the wall 105 of the mouthpiece 101 in a first direction, and the bite platform 106 extends from the wall 105 of the mouthpiece in a second direction opposite the first direction. Thus, the occlusal platform 106 extends from the inner surface 113, 121 of the wall 105, and the housing 102 extends from the outer surface 114, 122 of the wall 105 (it should be appreciated that the aforementioned shoulder 117 also extends from the inner surface 113, 121 of the wall 105). along the same direction as the bite platform 106). In the exemplary embodiment, housing 102 is generally depicted as a box. However, the invention is not so limited and the shape of the housing 102 may be changed to any desired shape for aesthetic or functional reasons.

In the exemplary embodiment, housed within housing 102 are processor 123 , power supply 124 , timer 125 , heater 126 , reservoir 127 , and pump or pressurizer 128 , which are operatively coupled together. More specifically, processor 123 is operatively coupled to each of power supply 124, timer 125, heater 126, and pump/pressurizer 128, and pump/pressurizer 128 is operatively coupled to the reservoir 127. Processor 123 may be any suitable microprocessor-based programmable logic controller, personal computer, etc., having memory to store various instructions to control the operation of electromagnetic radiation source 103 and the tooth whitening material from storage 127 ( or other oral care fluids), as described in more detail below. Processor 123 is programmed with algorithms to receive data from various other electrical components and sensors, analyze the data, and cause these electrical components to operate in a desired or predetermined manner based on instructions stored in memory of processor 123 . Of course, some or all of the elements described above, such as pump/pressurizer 128 and reservoir 127, may be omitted in embodiments that do not include a dispensing function.

In an exemplary embodiment, a power source 124 is operatively coupled to the processor 123 and the electromagnetic radiation source 103 (and, more specifically, to each of the first electromagnetic radiation source 103a and the second electromagnetic radiation source 103b) . The electrical connections between the various electrical components, in particular the electrical connections between the power supply 124 and the electromagnetic radiation source 103, are shown with dotted lines in the figure. Power source 124 may be one or more batteries, battery packs, printed batteries, rechargeable batteries, supercapacitors, or control circuits that store electrical energy that may be used to power electromagnetic radiation source 103 as needed. Alternatively, the power supply 124 may be omitted, and instead the electrical components of the device may be powered by a plug coupled to a power source (eg, a wall outlet).

In the exemplary embodiment, tooth whitening system 100 also includes actuator 131 . In an exemplary embodiment, actuator 131 is a depressible button. However, the invention is not so limited, and actuator 131 may be any type of device that energizes and/or de-energizes one or more of the electrical components stored within housing 102 upon actuation. For example, actuator 131 may be a slide switch, a touchpad, or any other component that when actuated causes tooth whitening system 100 to function as described below. Actuator 131 is operatively coupled to processor 123 such that when actuator 131 is depressed or otherwise actuated, processor 123 initiates operation of tooth whitening system 100, as described in more detail below.

As noted above, in embodiments where tooth whitening system 100 includes dispensing features/functions, reservoir 127 stores tooth whitening materials (i.e., hydrogen peroxide, carbamide peroxide, calcium peroxide, sodium perborate, etc.) Any other oral care fluid that is dispensed to contact the user's teeth during use of the mouthpiece 101 . As an example of a device use other than tooth whitening, mouthpiece 101 may be used to desensitize teeth or perform some other desired treatment on teeth, and the oral care fluid stored in reservoir 127 may be modified to meet the treatment system's requirements. need. The tooth whitening material (or other oral care fluid) can be a liquid or a gel and can have a different selected viscosity to achieve its desired dispensing. In certain embodiments, reservoir 127 may contain no more than a single dose of tooth whitening material. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that the reservoir 127 may be a replaceable or refillable reservoir 127 . In certain embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2 , the housing 102 can include a cover plate 132 that provides access to the reservoir 127 within the housing 102 . In this regard, upon opening or removing the cover 132, the user may remove the reservoir 127 for refill or replacement, or may simply refill the reservoir 127 without removing it. In other embodiments, reservoir 127 may contain multiple doses of tooth whitening material, but may be configured to dispense only a single dose at a time, as described in more detail below.

As noted above, in embodiments that include a tooth whitening material dispensing function, tooth whitening system 100 includes one or more orifices 104 formed in mouthpiece 101 . More specifically, tooth whitening system 100 includes a plurality of orifices 104 . In the exemplary embodiment, a plurality of apertures 104 are formed in an upper surface 107 of the bite platform 106 and a plurality of apertures 104 are formed in a lower surface 108 of the bite platform 106 . An aperture 104 is formed in the bite platform 106 at a location adjacent to the wall 105 to ensure that the tooth whitening material dispensed through the aperture 104 interacts with the surface of the user's teeth positioned within the first groove 109 and the second groove 110 touch. Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiment, a plurality of orifices 104 are positioned on the upper surface 107 of the bite platform 103 in an evenly spaced manner, and a plurality of orifices 104 are positioned in an evenly spaced manner on the lower surface of the bite platform 106. surface 108 . Of course, the apertures 104 need not be evenly spaced in all embodiments, and different spacings between adjacent apertures 104 may be used depending on the surface area of the particular tooth that will be positioned near the apertures 104 during use.

Furthermore, although the figures show the orifice 104 as being formed along the bite platform 106, all embodiments of the present invention are not so limited. In some embodiments, one or more of the apertures 104 may be formed in the interior surfaces 113, 121 of the upper wall portion 105a and the lower wall portion 105b. In certain embodiments, the apertures 104 may be formed only in the inner surfaces 113 , 121 of the upper wall portion 105 a and the lower wall portion 105 b and not in the occlusal platform 106 . In other embodiments, the apertures 104 may be formed in the inner surfaces 113, 121 and the bite platform 106 of the upper wall portion 105a and the lower wall portion 105b. Regardless of the particular location of the orifices 104, the orifices 104 should be positioned to dispense tooth whitening material (or other oral care fluid) into the upper and lower teeth 198 and 199 formed on the user's upper and lower walls 105a, 105b. between the first trench 109 and the second trench 110 . Embodiments that do not include a dispensing function may omit the orifice 104 .

In the exemplary embodiment, tooth whitening system 100 includes an inlet port 133 in fluid communication with one or more apertures 104 and configured to be detachably coupled to an outlet of reservoir 127 . Accordingly, attaching and/or detaching the reservoir 127 to replace or refill the reservoir 127 is accomplished by coupling and decoupling the reservoir 127 from the inlet port 133 . In a particular embodiment, the reservoir 127 may have a pierceable outlet formed from a rubber material or membrane, and the inlet port 133 may terminate at the pierce point. In such embodiments, when the reservoir 127 is properly coupled to the inlet port 133, the inlet port 133 will pierce the pierceable outlet of the reservoir 127 to facilitate fluid coupling therebetween. Of course, all embodiments of the invention are not thus limited, and the coupling and decoupling of the reservoir 127 to the inlet port 133 can be accomplished in any of a variety of known ways as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art.

As noted above, inlet port 133 is fluidly coupled to one or more orifices 104 . More specifically, in the exemplary embodiment, inlet port 133 is directly fluidly coupled to distribution manifold 134 , and distribution manifold 134 is in turn directly fluidly coupled to each of plurality of orifices 104 . Distribution manifold 134 may be considered to include an inlet port 133 , a distribution chamber 137 , and a plurality of outlet ports 138 each extending from distribution chamber 137 to one of orifices 104 . Distribution manifold 134 may be located within bite platform 106 , within wall 105 , or partially within bite platform 106 and partially within wall 105 . In an exemplary embodiment, there is a fluid path from the reservoir 127 through the inlet port 133 to the distribution manifold 134, and from the distribution manifold 134 to each port 104 for delivery/dispensing of the tooth whitening material with the user. tooth contact. Accordingly, in certain exemplary embodiments, tooth whitening system 100 is capable of dispensing tooth whitening material in contact with a user's teeth as well as emitting electromagnetic radiation onto the user's teeth. As noted above, in other embodiments, the tooth whitening system 100 may be capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation onto a user's teeth which may or may not have been pre-coated with a tooth whitening material. In such embodiments, the tooth whitening system 100 may dispense no tooth whitening material in contact with the user's teeth.

Referring to Figures 2-4, the use of the tooth whitening system 100 will now be described. First, the mouthpiece 101 is positioned in the user's mouth such that the user's upper teeth 198 are adjacent to the upper wall portion 105a of the wall 105 and are in contact with the upper surface 107 of the bite platform 106, and the user's lower teeth 199 are adjacent to the lower wall portion 105b of the wall 105 And in contact with the lower surface 108 of the occlusal platform 106 . Thus, as can be seen from FIGS. 3 and 4 , the bite platform 106 is sandwiched between the user's upper teeth 198 and lower teeth 199 . Next, the user actuates the actuator 131, such as, but not limited to, by pressing an actuator button. Actuation of actuator 131 will cause processor 123 to instruct power supply 124 to deliver power to electromagnetic radiation source 103 and pump/pressurizer 128 to dispense tooth whitening material from reservoir 127 to orifice 104 . Although a single actuator 131 is shown in the exemplary embodiment, the invention is not limited thereby. In certain other embodiments, a first actuator for controlling the electromagnetic radiation source 103 may be provided, and a second actuator for controlling the dispensing function of the tooth whitening system 100 may be provided.

In certain embodiments, upon actuation of the actuator 131, the electromagnetic radiation source 103 will immediately begin emitting electromagnetic radiation, and the reservoir 127 will immediately begin dispensing the tooth whitening material. Thus, in such embodiments, the emission of electromagnetic radiation will occur concurrently with the dispensing of the tooth whitening material. However, in other embodiments, there may be a delay in one of these two functions. Specifically, in one particular embodiment, upon actuation of actuator 131, processor 123 will instruct reservoir 127 (either directly or via pump/pressurizer 128) to immediately begin dispensing a dose of tooth whitening material. However, in one such embodiment, processor 123 will wait until some or all of the dose of tooth whitening material 197 has been dispensed before instructing power supply 124 to energize electromagnetic radiation source 103 to emit electromagnetic radiation. In this manner, electromagnetic radiation source 103 does not begin emitting electromagnetic radiation until the user's teeth are painted, covered, or otherwise contacted with tooth whitening material 197 . In yet other embodiments, actuation of the actuator 131 will cause the electromagnetic radiation source 103 to emit electromagnetic radiation, but will not produce any dispensing function.

Regardless of which particular function is used, when processor 123 instructs reservoir 127 to dispense tooth whitening material 197, pump/pressurizer 128 or other suitable mechanism will cause tooth whitening material 197 to flow from reservoir 127 through inlet port 133 to the dispenser. Manifold 134 , through distribution manifold 134 to and through each orifice 104 and into first channel 109 and second channel 110 . As noted above, processor 123 may be preconfigured with instructions that enable processor 123 to cause only a single dose of tooth whitening material 197 to be dispensed upon a single actuation of actuator 131 . Thus, even if reservoir 127 stores multiple doses of tooth whitening material 197, only a single dose will be dispensed at a time. This simplifies use because the user does not need to determine the proper amount of tooth whitening material 197, instead, the tooth whitening system 100 automatically determines and dispenses the proper amount of tooth whitening material 197 to the appropriate location on the user's teeth.

Due to the particular location of the orifice 104, upon reaching and dispensing through the orifice 104, the tooth whitening material 197 will be located within the first channel 109 formed between the user's upper teeth 198 and the upper wall portion 105a and below the user. In the second groove 110 between the tooth 199 and the lower wall portion 105b, as shown in FIG. 4 . Specifically, the tooth whitening material 197 will pass through the apertures 104 (which may include one or more first apertures configured to dispense the tooth whitening material into the first groove 109 and configured to dispense the tooth whitening material into the first channel 109 ). one or more second openings in the second trench 110 ) and fill the first trench 109 and the second trench 110 . Determining the proper dosage will be based on the viscosity of the tooth whitening material 197, the width of the first groove 109 and the second groove 110 (i.e., the distance between the teeth 198, 199 and the upper wall portion 105a and the lower wall portion 105b), the time period during dispensing. traffic and so on. Proper dosing will ensure that all teeth desired to be whitened/treated are painted, covered or otherwise exposed to the tooth whitening material 197 or other oral care fluid.

When the tooth whitening material 197 is positioned within the first groove 109, the tooth whitening material 197 will contact the surfaces (more specifically, front/face/lips/buccal) of the user's teeth positioned within the first groove 109. ). When tooth whitening material 197 is positioned within second groove 110, tooth whitening material 197 will contact the surface (more specifically, front/face/lip/buccal) of the user's teeth positioned within second groove 110. ).

Whether simultaneously with the allocation, delayed as described above after the allocation, or without any allocation itself, the processor 123 will instruct the power supply 124 to deliver power to the electromagnetic radiation source 103, and in response, the first electromagnetic radiation source 103a and the second electromagnetic radiation source 103a Two electromagnetic radiation sources 103b emit electromagnetic radiation onto the user's teeth 198,199. Due to the positioning of the first electromagnetic radiation source 103a and the second electromagnetic radiation source 103b relative to the user's teeth 198, 199, the first electromagnetic radiation source 103a emits electromagnetic radiation onto the upper teeth 198 of the user pre-coated with a tooth whitening material 197. surface, and the second source of electromagnetic radiation 103b emits electromagnetic radiation onto the surface of the user's lower teeth 199 that have been previously coated with tooth whitening material 197 .

In some embodiments, when the power supply 124 is instructed to provide power to the first electromagnetic source 103a and the second electromagnetic source 103b, the timer 125 will start counting to track the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the first electromagnetic source 103a and the second electromagnetic source 103b. The length of time it takes to shoot to the user's teeth. It may be desirable to transmit electromagnetic radiation to the user's teeth for a predetermined period of time, such as 1 to 30 minutes, or 5 to 20 minutes, etc. The preferred length of time may depend on the intensity of the tooth whitening material 197, the intensity or wattage of the electromagnetic radiation, and other similar factors. In some embodiments, the predetermined length of time can be programmed into the processor 123 and can be changed by the user.

Timer 125 will track the length of time that electromagnetic radiation is emitted. As calculated by the timer 125, after the predetermined length of time elapses, the timer 125 will transmit a signal to the processor 123 to notify the processor 123 that the predetermined length of time has been reached, and the processor 123 will prevent the power supply 124 from supplying power to the first electromagnetic The source 103a and the second electromagnetic source 103b transmit power. The tooth whitening system 100 may include a visual or audible alarm to notify the user when the treatment time has elapsed. Processor 123 may be configured to ensure continuous or pulsed (on/off) emission of electromagnetic radiation for a predetermined time. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that in some embodiments the timer 125 may be omitted and the user may manually enable the The electromagnetic radiation sources 103a, 103b are powered on and off. Accordingly, the functions of the tooth whitening system 100 described herein may be performed automatically in some embodiments, and manually in other embodiments.

Additionally, in certain embodiments, it may be desirable to maintain a certain temperature during oral treatment. Specifically, in certain embodiments, the tooth whitening material is most effective when heated to a temperature between 37°C and 47°C, and more specifically about 42°C. The electromagnetic radiation source 103 may emit some heat when emitting electromagnetic radiation. Additionally, processor 123 may be configured to cause heater 126 to be powered on and off as needed to maintain a desired temperature. Various sensors, such as temperature sensors, may be included in the tooth whitening system 100 and operably coupled to the processor 123 to assist the processor 123 in determining when to energize and de-energize the heater 126 to maintain the tooth whitening material or other oral care fluid. optimal working temperature.

Referring now to FIGS. 5A and 5B , a tooth whitening system 200 according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described. Teeth whitening system 200 is similar to tooth whitening system 100 described above. Accordingly, features of tooth whitening system 200 that are similar to features of tooth whitening system 100 will be numbered similarly, except that 200 series numbers will be used. For the sake of brevity, certain features of tooth whitening system 200 that have been described above with respect to tooth whitening system 100 will not be described below, it being understood that the description of tooth whitening system 100 provided above is applicable. Accordingly, for features in tooth whitening system 200 that are numbered but not described, descriptions of similar features of tooth whitening system 100 apply.

The tooth whitening system 200 generally includes a mouthpiece 201, a housing 202 extending from the mouthpiece 201, and a first electromagnetic radiation source 203a and a second electromagnetic radiation source coupled to an upper wall portion 205a and a lower wall portion 205b of a wall 205 of the mouthpiece 201 203b. The structure of the mouthpiece 201 and the housing 202 is the same as described above with respect to the mouthpiece 101 and the housing 102 . In addition, the details of the first electromagnetic radiation source 203a and the second electromagnetic radiation source 203b are the same as described above. Housing 202 houses electrical components including processor 223, power supply 224, timer 225, heater 226, and actuator 231, which are operably coupled together to facilitate operation of the device. Thus, in this embodiment, there is no reservoir or pump mechanism for storing the tooth whitening material. Instead, in this embodiment, the tooth whitening material is stored within a first capsule 250 and a second capsule 260 that are separate and distinct from the mouthpiece 201 and housing 202 . Although described and illustrated herein as separate first and second balloons 250, 260, in some embodiments, first and second balloons 250, 260 may be formed as a single balloon.

Each of the first bladder 250 and the second bladder 260 may be any type of structure suitable for storing tooth whitening material until desired dispensing. Thus, the first bladder 250 and the second bladder 260 may be sealed bags, pods, trays, or any other structure capable of sealing the tooth whitening material until desired to be applied to the user's teeth. In this embodiment, when it is desired to use the tooth whitening system 200 , the user positions the first bladder 250 within the first groove 209 and the second bladder 250 within the second groove 210 . The user then places the mouthpiece 201 into his/her mouth such that the user's teeth are adjacent and possibly in contact with the first capsule 250 and the second capsule 260 . Specifically, in the exemplary embodiment, the first bladder 250 is positioned between the front surface of the user's upper teeth 298 and the first electromagnetic radiation source 203a, and the second bladder 260 is positioned between the user's lower teeth 299. Between the front surface and the second electromagnetic radiation source 203b. In this position the user is prevented from piercing the capsules 250, 260 because the teeth 298, 299 cannot enter the first and second grooves 209, 210 due to the configuration of the upper wall portion 205a and lower wall portion 205b as described above.

The first bladder 250 and the second bladder 260 may be shaped to closely resemble the maxillary and mandibular arches of the user's teeth. The tooth whitening material is sealed within the first capsule 250 and the second capsule 260 to ensure that the shelf life and barrier requirements of chemicals are met. The first balloon 250 and the second balloon 260 can be die-cut and thinned at the exit point, creating a hybrid slit-score. Dispenses tooth whitening material in a consistent stream at the desired location in a repeatable and consistent manner with a break point. In various embodiments, first balloon 250 and second balloon 260 may be thermoformed, vacuum formed, blow molded, or injection molded.

Referring to FIG. 5B, in this particular embodiment, the first bladder 250 and the second bladder 260 may be formed from a dissolvable material such that during use, saliva in the user's mouth and on the user's teeth causes the first bladder to 250 and second bladder 260 dissolve such that the tooth whitening material held therein can be dispensed into first and second grooves 209, 210 and into contact with the user's teeth 298,299. Thus, in this embodiment, the mouthpiece 101 is positioned within the mouth of the user. Over time, the first and second balloons 250, 260 will dissolve and the tooth whitening material will fill the first and second grooves 209, 210 and contact the user's teeth 298,299. The user can then actuate the actuator 231, which in turn will cause the processor 223 to instruct the power source 224 to power the first electromagnetic radiation source 203a and the second electromagnetic radiation source 203b so that they emit electromagnetic radiation to the tooth whitening material coated teeth. on the surface of the user's teeth 298,299. The timer 225 and processor 223 can monitor the operating time and automatically cut off the power of the first electromagnetic radiation source 203a and the second electromagnetic radiation source 203b after the treatment time is reached in the manner described above.

Referring briefly to FIGS. 6A and 6B concurrently, a tooth whitening system 300 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention will be described. The tooth whitening system 300 is similar to the tooth whitening systems 100, 200 described above. Accordingly, similar features will be numbered similarly except that they will use the 300 series numbering. For the sake of brevity, certain features of the tooth whitening system 300 that have been described above with respect to the tooth whitening systems 100, 200 will not be described below, it being understood that the description of the tooth whitening systems 100, 200 provided above is applicable. Thus, for features numbered but not described in tooth whitening system 300, descriptions of similar features of tooth whitening systems 100, 200 apply.

The tooth whitening system 300 is the same as the tooth whitening system 200 except for the positioning and piercing of the first balloon 350 and the second balloon 360 . Specifically, in this embodiment, the first bladder 350 is at least partially positioned between the edge of the user's teeth 398 and the occlusal platform 306 and the second bladder 360 is at least partially positioned at the edge of the user's teeth 399 and between the occlusal platform 306 . Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first bladder 350 and the second bladder 360 are pierced by the user's teeth rather than dissolving as the user bites down onto the bite platform 306 . Specifically, when biting down onto the bite platform 306, the user's teeth 398, 399 in conjunction with the bite platform 306 will pierce or break open the first capsule 350 and the second capsule 360, which will cause the tooth whitening material 397 Dispensed into the first groove 309 and the second groove 310 and in contact with the user's teeth 398 , 399 positioned in those grooves 309 , 310 . All other features of tooth whitening system 200 are applicable to tooth whitening system 300 and are not described here for the sake of brevity.

Referring now to FIGS. 7A and 7B concurrently, a tooth whitening system 400 according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described. The tooth whitening system 400 is similar to the tooth whitening systems 100, 200, 300 described above. Accordingly, features in tooth whitening system 400 that are similar to features of tooth whitening systems 100, 200, 300 will be numbered similarly, except that 400 series numbers will be used. For the sake of brevity, certain features of the tooth whitening system 400 that have been described above with respect to the tooth whitening systems 100, 200, 300 will not be described below, it being understood that the description of the tooth whitening systems 100, 200, 300 provided above is applicable. Thus, for features numbered but not described in tooth whitening system 400, descriptions of similar features of tooth whitening systems 100, 200, 300 apply.

The tooth whitening system 400 generally includes a mouthpiece 401 , a housing 402 coupled to and extending from the mouthpiece 401 , and a first electromagnetic radiation source 403 a and a second electromagnetic radiation source 403 b coupled to the mouthpiece 401 . Mouthpiece 401 includes a wall 405 comprising an upper wall portion 405a and a lower wall portion 405b, and an engagement platform 406 extending from wall 405 between the upper wall portion 405a and the lower wall portion 405b. Electrical components located within housing 402 include actuator 431 , processor 423 , power supply 424 , timer 425 , and heater 426 operably coupled together in the manner described above with respect to tooth whitening system 100 .

In this embodiment, housing 402 also does not house the reservoir and pump system. Instead, in this embodiment, the bite platform 406 includes a cavity 470 for storing a tooth whitening material 497 . Specifically, the bite platform 406 has a hollow interior defining a cavity 470 . Bite platform 406 may have an entry port or other opening providing access to cavity 470 so that cavity 470 may be refilled as it becomes empty. In certain embodiments, cavity 470 is sized to hold a single dose of tooth whitening material 497 at a time.

Teeth whitening system 400 also includes one or more, preferably a plurality of, orifices 404 . In the exemplary embodiment, a plurality of apertures 404 are formed in an upper surface of the bite platform 406 and a plurality of apertures 404 are formed in a lower surface of the bite platform 406 . Of course, the aperture 404 may be located elsewhere, such as on one or both of the upper wall portion 405a and the lower wall portion 405b, and so on. Regardless of the particular positioning of the apertures 404, each aperture 404 is fluidly coupled to the tooth whitening material 497 in the cavity 470 such that the tooth whitening material 497 can be dispensed from the cavity 470 through one or more apertures 404 to the first tooth whitening material 497. A groove 409 and a second groove 410 are configured to contact the surfaces of the user's teeth 498 , 499 positioned within the first groove 409 and the second groove 410 .

More specifically, in this embodiment, the bite platform 406 is formed from a compressible material, such as compressible rubber, plastic, foam, or other type of material. Thus, during use, the mouthpiece 101 is inserted into a user's mouth such that the user's upper teeth 498 contact the upper surface of the bite platform 406 and the user's lower teeth 499 contact the lower surface of the bite platform 406 . When it is desired to dispense tooth whitening material 497 , the user will bite down onto bite platform 406 with upper teeth 498 and lower teeth 499 to squeeze bite platform 406 . Squeezing of the bite platform 406 in this manner will cause the tooth whitening material 497 to flow from the cavity 470 through the orifice 404 to be dispensed into the first groove 409 and the second groove 410 and engage with the user's upper teeth 498 and lower teeth 499 touch. FIG. 7A shows the mouthpiece 401 in the user's mouth before squeezing the bite platform 406 and FIG. 7B shows the mouthpiece 401 in the user's mouth during/after squeezing the bite platform 406 . As can be seen in FIG. 7B , tooth whitening material 497 flows from cavity 470 through aperture 404 and into first and second grooves 409 , 410 to contact teeth 498 , 499 of the user.

In an exemplary embodiment, tooth whitening material is placed directly into cavity 470 . However, it will be appreciated that in some embodiments, the tooth whitening material may first be positioned within a capsule (e.g., the various types of capsules described above with reference to FIGS. 5A-6B ), and the capsule may then be positioned The body is positioned within cavity 470 . This ensures that the tooth whitening material is not dispensed prematurely without squeezing. Specifically, in such embodiments, compression of the occlusal platform 406 will break the capsule allowing the tooth whitening material 497 to flow through the aperture 404 and into the first and second grooves 409, 410 to communicate with the user. The upper teeth 498 are in contact with the lower teeth 499.

Additionally, in this embodiment, the electromagnetic radiation sources 403a, 403b may be caused to emit electromagnetic radiation onto the surfaces of the user's teeth 498, 499 at any time before, during, or after dispensing the tooth whitening material. In particular, this may be achieved by the user actuating the actuator 431 or in any other manner as described above with respect to the other embodiments. All of the functionality of the electrical components described above with respect to the tooth whitening system 100 with respect to powering the electromagnetic radiation sources 403a, 403b and tracking the length of time the electromagnetic radiation sources 403a, 403b emit electromagnetic radiation is applicable to this embodiment.

Referring now to FIGS. 8-10 concurrently, a tooth whitening system 500 according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described. The tooth whitening system 500 is similar to the tooth whitening systems 100, 200, 300, 400 described above. Accordingly, features of tooth whitening system 500 that are similar to features of tooth whitening systems 100, 200, 300, 400 will be numbered similarly, except that 500 series numbers will be used. For the sake of brevity, certain features of the tooth whitening system 500 that have been described above with respect to the tooth whitening systems 100, 200, 300, 400 will not be described below, it , 400 description is applicable. Thus, for features numbered but not described in tooth whitening system 500, descriptions of similar features of tooth whitening systems 100, 200, 300, 400 apply.

The tooth whitening system 500 generally includes a mouthpiece 501 , a housing 502 coupled to and extending from the mouthpiece 501 , and a first electromagnetic radiation source 503 a and a second electromagnetic radiation source 503 b coupled to the mouthpiece 501 . Mouthpiece 501 comprises a wall 505 comprising an upper wall portion 505a and a lower wall portion 505b, and a bite platform 506 extending from wall 505 between the upper wall portion 505a and the lower wall portion 505b. Wall 505 has an inner surface 513 and an opposite outer surface 514 . Additionally, mouthpiece 501 also includes distribution manifold 534 fluidly coupled to plurality of orifices 504 . The details of distribution manifold 534 and plurality of orifices 504 and their location within mouthpiece 501 are the same as described above with respect to tooth whitening system 100 . Electrical components located within housing 502 include actuator 531 , processor 523 , power supply 524 , timer 525 , and heater 526 operably coupled together in the manner described above with respect to tooth whitening system 100 .

In this embodiment, the housing 502 also does not house a reservoir and pump system for dispensing tooth whitening material into the channels 509,510 and into contact with the user's teeth 598,599 within the channels 509,510. Instead, in this embodiment, an opening 571 is formed in the outer surface 514 of the wall 505 and forms a passage from the external environment to the distribution manifold 534 . Thus, tooth whitening material 597 may be injected into mouthpiece 501 through opening 571 , enter distribution manifold 534 , and exit through aperture 504 to be dispensed onto first channel 509 and second channel 510 .

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 8 to 10, an opening 571 is formed in the wall 505 of the mouthpiece 501 at a location in the mouthpiece 501 from which the housing 502 extends. Thus, in this embodiment, an opening 572 is also formed in the housing 502, and a fluid pathway 573 extends through the housing 502 and fluidly couples the opening 572 in the housing 502 to the opening 571 in the wall 505 of the mouthpiece 501. . Thus, in this embodiment, tooth whitening material 597 is injected through opening 572 in housing 502, through housing 502 within fluid pathway 573, through opening 571 in wall 505 of mouthpiece 501 and into the distribution manifold. Tube 534, and passes from distribution manifold 534 through each orifice 504 to distribute into first groove 509 and second groove 510. It can be seen that fluid pathway 573 is fluidly isolated from the electrical components within housing 502 such that tooth whitening material 597 does not come into contact with these electrical components.

To dispense the tooth whitening material 597 into the first channel 509 and the second channel 510, the tooth whitening material 597 is packaged in a separate container 590 from the mouthpiece 501 and housing 502, as described above. In an exemplary embodiment, container 590 is a syringe. However, the invention is not so limited and container 590 may be any structure capable of storing and maintaining a supply of tooth whitening material 597 and dispensing tooth whitening material 597 in the manner described herein. Accordingly, container 590 may be any type of syringe, bag, capsule, tube that can inject tooth whitening material 597 through openings 571, 572 in housing 502 and/or mouthpiece 501 for dispensing to contact user's teeth 598, 599. wait.

FIG. 9 shows container 590 coupled to opening 572 formed in housing 502 . In an exemplary embodiment, the container 590 and the opening 572 have mating threaded screw features so that the container 590 can be screwed onto the housing 502 . Of course, all embodiments of the invention are not thus limited, and in certain other embodiments, container 590 may be coupled to housing 502 using other mechanical means such as snap fit, adhesive, interference fit, fasteners, etc. Opening 572 . Furthermore, in other embodiments, during dispensing of tooth whitening material 597 from container 590 into mouthpiece 501 and housing 502, container 590 may simply be secured by hand within opening 572 of housing 502 without any mechanical coupling therebetween.

In this embodiment, container 590 may hold a single dose or multiple doses of tooth whitening material 597, although a single dose may be preferred in certain embodiments. When it is desired to use the tooth whitening system 500, the mouthpiece 501 is inserted into the user's mouth in the same manner as described above. Once so positioned, the user brings the container 590 to the opening 572 in the housing 502 and mechanically couples the container 590 to the opening 572 (if possible), or simply holds the container 590 in/against the opening 572 572. Once so positioned, the user will manually dispense tooth whitening material 597 from container 590 . In an exemplary embodiment, this can be accomplished by the user depressing the plunger top 591 of the container 590 against the body of the container 590 so that the plunger seal 592 of the container 590 forces the tooth whitening material 597 through the nozzle of the container 590 593 left. The tooth whitening material 597 will exit the container 590 through the nozzle 593, flow through the opening 572 of the housing 502, the fluid pathway 573 and the opening 571 in the wall 505 of the mouthpiece 501, flow through the distribution manifold 534, through the orifice 504 and into the first A groove 509 and a second groove 510 are configured to contact teeth 598,599 of the user.

As noted above, container 590 may hold a single dose or multiple doses of tooth whitening material 597 . However, it may be preferred that the container 590 holds a single dose of the tooth whitening material 597 so that the user can dispense the entire tooth whitening material 597 from the container 590 per use, preventing the user from having to calculate the proper dispensing of the tooth whitening material 597 quantity. A single dose can be predetermined based on the width/volume of the first groove 509 and the second groove 510 so that the tooth whitening material 597 completely fills the first groove 509 and the second groove 510 to ensure that the tooth whitening material 597 is completely filled. Distribute evenly onto the surfaces of the user's teeth 598,599.

After the tooth whitening material 597 has been dispensed into the grooves 509, 510 and brought into contact with the user's teeth 598, 599 as described above, the user can activate the electromagnetic radiation sources 503a, 503b in any manner described above to emit electromagnetic radiation into On the surfaces of the user's teeth 598 , 599 that have been contacted or previously coated with a tooth whitening material 597 . This can be accomplished by the user depressing the actuation button 531 or in any other manner described herein. In addition, electromagnetic radiation can be emitted for a predetermined period of time and automatically shut off, or if desired, can be manually turned off by the user after a desired period of time has been reached.

Referring now to FIGS. 11 and 12 concurrently, a tooth whitening system 600 according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described. Teeth whitening system 600 is similar to tooth whitening system 500 described above. Accordingly, features in tooth whitening system 600 that are similar to features of tooth whitening system 500 will be numbered similarly, except that they will use 600 series numbers. Certain features of tooth whitening system 600 are numbered in the figures but not described, it being appreciated that the description of those numbered features of tooth whitening system 500 is applicable. For the sake of brevity, certain features of tooth whitening system 600 that have been described above with respect to tooth whitening systems 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 will not be described below, it , 300, 400, 500 descriptions are applicable. Thus, for features numbered but not described in tooth whitening system 600, descriptions of similar features of tooth whitening systems 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 apply.

Teeth whitening system 600 is the same as tooth whitening system 500 except that in tooth whitening system 600 tooth whitening material 697 is not dispensed through housing 602 but directly into mouthpiece 601 . Specifically, in this embodiment, mouthpiece 601 includes an opening 680 forming a passage from the external environment into distribution manifold 634 , which is fluidly coupled to plurality of orifices 604 . However, in this embodiment, the opening 680 is not covered by the housing 602 but is directly exposed to the external environment. Thus, during use, the mouthpiece 601 is inserted into the mouth of a user and the receptacle 690 is aligned with the opening 680 in the rear surface 614 of the wall 605 of the mouthpiece 601 . Then, tooth whitening material 697 is dispensed from container 690 . In an exemplary embodiment, this may be accomplished by depressing the plunger top 691 downward, which forces the plunger seal 692 to force the tooth whitening material 697 out through the nozzle 693 of the container 690 . Of course, other means of dispensing may be used when container 690 takes other forms and is not a syringe as exemplified herein.

Once dispensed from container 690 , tooth whitening material 697 flows directly through opening 680 in wall 605 of mouthpiece 601 and into dispensing manifold 634 . The tooth whitening material 697 continues to flow through the distribution manifold 634 and out through the orifice 604 and into the first channel 609 and the second channel 610 in the same manner as described above with respect to the tooth whitening system 500 of FIGS. 7-10 same. Thus, tooth whitening system 600 operates the same as tooth whitening system 500 except that tooth whitening material 697 is not dispensed through housing 602 but directly into mouthpiece 601 .

Any of the tooth whitening systems 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 described above may include a scouring or rinsing feature. For example, the mouthpiece or housing may include flexible slits that allow water or other flushing fluid to pass through the distribution manifold to ensure proper cleaning. In the embodiments of FIGS. 7-10 and 11-12, a container or syringe having a volume of water or cleaning solution greater than the volume of the tooth whitening material may be filled into the housing or mouthpiece after use for cleaning. Thus, water or cleaning solution can be forced through the dispensing channels and orifices to clean the device.

The tooth whitening system 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 may in some embodiments be sold as a kit comprising a mouthpiece/housing and a supply of tooth whitening material. In other embodiments, the mouthpiece/housing itself may be sold without the tooth whitening material. Additionally, in certain embodiments, the mouthpiece/housing can be used to emit electromagnetic radiation onto the user's teeth without dispensing tooth whitening material in contact with the user's teeth. Alternatively, the mouthpiece/housing may be used to dispense tooth whitening material in contact with the user's teeth without emitting electromagnetic radiation onto the user's teeth. Accordingly, the devices and systems described herein have a variety of uses. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that when the device is used to dispense tooth whitening material and emit electromagnetic radiation onto a user's teeth, the tooth whitening material may be optically transparent so that electromagnetic radiation can be transmitted through the tooth whitening material and into the user's teeth. on the surface of the tooth.

Ranges are used throughout as a shorthand way of describing each value that is within the range. Any value within the range is optional as the range end point. Additionally, all references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. In the event of a conflict between a definition in the present disclosure and that of a cited reference, the present disclosure controls.

While the invention has been described in terms of specific examples, including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the systems and techniques described above. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the present invention should be construed broadly as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims (67)

1. A dental treatment system, said system comprising: a mouthpiece comprising a wall and an occlusal platform extending from said wall co-defining a first groove for receiving a user's teeth; an electromagnetic radiation source coupled to the mouthpiece and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation onto a surface of the user's teeth positioned in the first groove; and One or more apertures in at least one of the wall or the occlusal land, the one or more apertures configured to dispense oral treatment material into the first groove to communicate with the surface contact with the user's teeth in the first groove. 2. The oral treatment system of claim 1, further comprising a reservoir of the oral treatment material, the one or more orifices fluidly coupled to the reservoir. 3. The oral treatment system of claim 2, further comprising a housing coupled to the mouthpiece, the housing extending from the wall of the mouthpiece in a first direction, and the bite A platform extends from the wall of the mouthpiece in a second direction opposite to the first direction. 4. The oral treatment system of claim 3, wherein the reservoir is located within the housing. 5. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 3 to 4, further comprising a power source within the housing, the source of electromagnetic radiation being operatively coupled to the power source. 6. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 2 to 5, further comprising an inlet port in fluid communication with the one or more orifices and configured to be detachably coupled to the outlet of the storage tank. 7. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the reservoir contains no more than a single dose of the oral treatment material. 8. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 2 to 6, further comprising a processor operatively coupled to the reservoir and an actuator operatively coupled to the processor, the The processor is configured to dispense the oral treatment material from the reservoir into the first channel in response to actuation of the actuator. 9. The oral treatment system of claim 8, wherein the reservoir contains a plurality of doses of the oral treatment material, and wherein the processor is configured to respond to a single actuation of the actuator Instead, a single dose of said oral treatment material is dispensed. 10. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 8 to 9, wherein in response to actuation of the actuator, the processor is configured to dispense a single dose of the oral treatment material and transmit power The source of electromagnetic radiation is administered such that the source of electromagnetic radiation emits electromagnetic radiation for a predetermined period of time. 11. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising a plurality of apertures spaced apart along the wall or in the bite platform. At least one arrangement of . 12. The oral treatment system of claim 11, further comprising a distribution manifold fluidly coupled to each of the plurality of orifices. 13. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the source of electromagnetic radiation comprises a first flexible circuit including a plurality of first lighting elements thereon, wherein The first flexible circuit is coupled to the wall of the mouthpiece. 14. The oral treatment system of claim 13, wherein the first flexible circuit is a printed light emitting diode circuit. 15. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 13 to 14, wherein the first flexible circuit is disposed within a recess formed in an inner surface of the wall. 16. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising: said wall of said mouthpiece includes an upper wall portion extending upwardly from said bite platform, and a lower wall portion extending downwardly from said bite platform; an upper portion of the wall and an upper surface of the bite platform form the first groove configured to receive upper teeth of the user; a lower portion of the wall and a lower surface of the bite platform form a second groove configured to receive lower teeth of the user; The electromagnetic radiation source includes a first electromagnetic radiation source and a second electromagnetic radiation source; the first electromagnetic radiation source is coupled to the mouthpiece and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation onto a surface of the user's upper teeth positioned in the first groove; the second electromagnetic radiation source is coupled to the mouthpiece and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation onto a surface of the user's lower teeth positioned in the second groove; The one or more apertures include at least a first aperture in at least one of the upper portion of the wall or the upper surface of the occlusal platform, the at least first aperture being configured to dispensing the oral treatment material into the first groove into contact with a surface of the user's upper teeth positioned in the first groove; and The one or more apertures include at least one second aperture in at least one of the lower portion of the wall or the lower surface of the occlusal platform, the at least one second aperture configured to dispense the oral treatment material into the second groove for contact with a surface of the user's lower teeth positioned in the second groove. 17. The oral treatment system of claim 16, wherein the upper wall portion includes an inner surface and the lower wall portion includes an inner surface, the first electromagnetic source is located on the inner surface of the upper wall portion, and The second electromagnetic source is located on the inner surface of the lower wall portion; and wherein the inner surfaces of the upper wall portion and the lower wall portion are offset from each other. 18. The oral treatment system of claim 17, wherein the inner surfaces of the upper and lower wall portions are substantially parallel to each other. 19. The oral treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the wall extends distally from a proximal end coupled to the bite platform, the wall comprising an inner surface facing the user's teeth and an opposite outer surface , and wherein said inner surface of said wall comprises a first portion extending from said occlusal platform to a shoulder, and a second portion extending from said shoulder to said distal end, said inner surface of said wall The first portion of the wall is recessed relative to the second portion of the inner surface of the wall. 20. The oral treatment system of claim 19, wherein said wall has a first thickness measured between said outer surface of said wall and said first portion of said inner surface of said wall and A second thickness measured between the outer surface of the wall and the second portion of the inner surface of the wall, the second thickness being greater than the first thickness. 21. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 19 to 20, wherein the shoulder extends from the inner surface of the wall in the same direction as the occlusal land. 22. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 1 to 21 , further comprising a first ridge and a second ridge, the first ridge extending upwardly from the occlusal platform and engaging the wall The upper portion of the wall of the wall is separated by a first gap, the second ridge extends downward from the occlusal platform and is spaced from the lower portion of the wall by a second gap, the first ridge and the second ridge are offset from each other shift. 23. The oral treatment system of claim 1 , further comprising an opening formed in an outer surface of the wall and forming access to a distribution channel located in one of the wall and the occlusal platform. A passageway for a manifold fluidly coupled to the opening and the one or more orifices in the outer surface of the wall. 24. The oral treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the oral treatment material is stored within a cavity formed in the bite platform, the cavity fluidly coupled to the one or more apertures, and wherein the oral treatment material is dispensed into the first groove in response to the occlusal plateau being compressed by the user's teeth. 25. The oral treatment system of claim 24, wherein the one or more apertures are formed in a surface of the bite platform. 26. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 24 to 25, wherein the cavity is sized to hold a single dose of the oral treatment material and is refillable. 27. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 1 to 26, wherein the source of electromagnetic radiation is enclosed within the wall of the mouthpiece. 28. An oral treatment system comprising: A mouthpiece comprising a wall having an inner surface and an opposite outer surface and a bite platform extending from the inner surface of the wall, the wall and the bite platform jointly defining a first tooth for receiving a user. groove; an electromagnetic radiation source coupled to the mouthpiece and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation onto a surface of the user's teeth positioned in the first groove; and an opening formed in the outer surface of the wall and providing access to a distribution manifold located in at least one of the wall and the articulation platform, the distribution manifold extending from the The opening in the outer surface extends to one or more orifices configured to dispense oral treatment material into the first groove to communicate with the The grooves are in contact with the surface of the user's teeth. 29. The oral treatment system of claim 28, further comprising a plurality of apertures formed in at least one of the inner surface of the wall and the occlusal land, and wherein the distribution manifold is fluidly coupled to The opening and each of the plurality of apertures in the outer surface of the wall. 30. The oral treatment system of claim 29, wherein the plurality of apertures are formed in the occlusal platform and the source of electromagnetic radiation is coupled to the inner surface of the wall. 31. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 28 to 30, comprising a housing coupled to the mouthpiece, the housing extending from the outer surface of the wall towards the mouthpiece. 32. The oral treatment system of claim 31 , further comprising an opening formed in the housing, the opening providing access to a fluid passage extending through the housing, the fluid passage The distribution manifold is fluidly coupled via the opening in the outer surface of the wall. 33. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 31 to 32, further comprising a power supply located within the housing and operatively coupled to the source of electromagnetic radiation. 34. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 28 to 32, further comprising a container of the oral treatment material coupled to the opening formed in the outer surface of the wall , and wherein the oral treatment material is dispensable from the container through the distribution manifold and through the one or more orifices to contact the surface of the user's teeth. 35. The oral treatment material of claim 34, wherein the container is a syringe and the oral treatment material is dispensed manually from the syringe by the user. 36. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 34 to 35, wherein the container contains a single dose of the oral treatment material. 37. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 28 to 36, wherein the source of electromagnetic radiation is enclosed within the wall of the mouthpiece. 38. An oral treatment system comprising: a mouthpiece comprising a wall and an bite platform extending from the wall co-defining a first groove for receiving teeth of a user, the bite platform having a cavity for storing an oral treatment material; an electromagnetic radiation source coupled to the mouthpiece and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation onto a surface of the user's teeth positioned in the first groove; and One or more apertures in at least one of the wall or the occlusal platform, the one or more apertures fluidly coupled to the oral treatment material in the cavity, the oral treatment Material is dispensed through the one or more orifices to the first groove in response to compression of the bite platform to contact a surface of the user's teeth positioned in the first groove. 39. The oral treatment system of claim 38, wherein the cavity is sized to hold a single dose of the oral treatment material and is refillable. 40. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 38 to 39, further comprising a bladder comprising a rupturable or dissolvable material, the oral treatment material contained within the bladder, And wherein the balloon is removably positioned within the cavity. 41. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 38 to 40, further comprising a power source operably coupled to the source of electromagnetic radiation. 42. The oral treatment system of claim 41 , further comprising a processor operatively coupled to the power source and an actuator operatively coupled to the processor, and wherein in response to the actuation actuation of an actuator, the processor configured to transmit power to the electromagnetic radiation source such that the electromagnetic radiation source emits electromagnetic radiation onto the surface of the user's teeth for a predetermined period of time. 43. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 38 to 42, wherein the source of electromagnetic radiation is enclosed within the wall of the mouthpiece. 44. An oral treatment system comprising: a mouthpiece comprising a wall configured to be positioned adjacent to a user's teeth; and a source of electromagnetic radiation coupled to the wall of the mouthpiece, the source of electromagnetic radiation comprising a first flexible circuit and a plurality of first lighting elements on the first flexible circuit, the source of electromagnetic radiation configured to Electromagnetic radiation is emitted onto the surface of the user's teeth positioned adjacent the wall. 45. The oral treatment system of claim 44, wherein the source of electromagnetic radiation is a flexographically printed light emitting diode or a flexible organic light emitting diode. 46. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 44 to 45, wherein the first flexible circuit comprises a flat, flexible sheet of material, and the plurality of first lighting elements are positioned on the flat, flexible sheet on or embedded within the flat, flexible sheet. 47. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 44 to 46, wherein at least one of the plurality of lighting elements is aligned with each of the user's teeth positioned within the groove. 48. The oral treatment system of claim 47, wherein a plurality of lighting elements are aligned with each of the user's teeth positioned within the groove. 49. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 44 to 48, wherein electromagnetic radiation emitted by the plurality of lighting elements orthogonally contacts each of the user's teeth positioned within the groove. grain surface. 50. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 44 to 49, wherein the first flexible circuit is disposed within a recess formed in an inner surface of the wall. 51. The oral treatment system of claim 44, wherein said wall extends distally from a proximal end coupled to said bite platform, said wall comprising an inner surface facing said user's teeth and an opposite outer surface , and wherein said inner surface of said wall comprises a first portion extending from said occlusal platform to a shoulder, and a second portion extending from said shoulder to said distal end, said inner surface of said wall The first portion of the wall is recessed relative to the second portion of the inner surface of the wall. 52. The oral treatment system of claim 51 , wherein said wall has a first thickness measured between said outer surface of said wall and said first portion of said inner surface of said wall and A second thickness measured between the outer surface of the wall and the second portion of the inner surface of the wall, the second thickness being greater than the first thickness. 53. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 51 to 52, wherein the shoulder extends from the inner surface of the wall in the same direction as the occlusal land. 54. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 44 to 53, further comprising a first ridge and a second ridge, the first ridge extending upwardly from the occlusal platform and engaging the wall The upper portion of the wall of the wall is separated by a first gap, the second ridge extends downward from the occlusal platform and is spaced from the lower portion of the wall by a second gap, the first ridge and the second ridge are offset from each other shift. 55. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 44 to 54, wherein the source of electromagnetic radiation is enclosed within the wall of the mouthpiece. 56. An oral treatment system comprising: A mouthpiece comprising a wall and an bite platform extending from the wall, the wall of the mouthpiece comprising an upper wall portion extending upwardly from the bite platform and a lower wall portion extending downwardly from the bite platform, the wall The upper portion and the upper surface of the bite platform form a first groove configured to receive the user's upper teeth, and the lower portion of the wall and the lower surface of the bite platform form a first groove configured to receive the user's lower teeth. a second groove, the occlusal platform positioned between the user's upper and lower teeth; A first source of electromagnetic radiation coupled to the upper portion of the wall and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation onto a surface of the user's upper teeth positioned in the first groove, the first source of electromagnetic radiation comprising a first flexible circuit and a plurality of first lighting elements on the first flexible circuit; and A second source of electromagnetic radiation coupled to the lower portion of the wall and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation onto a surface of the user's lower teeth positioned in the second groove, the second source of electromagnetic radiation comprising A second flexible circuit and a plurality of second lighting elements are located on the second flexible circuit. 57. The oral treatment system of claim 56, wherein the first and second sources of electromagnetic radiation are flexible printed light emitting diodes or flexible organic light emitting diodes. 58. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 56 to 57, wherein the first flexible circuit is a flat, flexible sheet having the first flexible circuit positioned thereon or embedded therein. a lighting element, and wherein said second flexible circuit is a flat, flexible sheet having said second lighting element positioned thereon or embedded therein. 59. The oral treatment system of claim 56, wherein the upper wall portion includes an inner surface and the lower wall portion includes an inner surface, the first electromagnetic source is located on the inner surface of the upper wall portion, and The second electromagnetic source is located on the inner surface of the lower wall portion; and wherein the inner surfaces of the upper wall portion and the lower wall portion are offset from each other. 60. The oral treatment system of claim 59, wherein the first source of electromagnetic radiation is offset from the second source of electromagnetic radiation. 61. The oral treatment system of claim 60, wherein said occlusal platform extends distally from said wall, and wherein said first source of electromagnetic radiation is located a first distance from said distal end of said occlusal platform , and the second electromagnetic radiation source is located at a second distance from the distal end of the occlusal platform, the first distance being greater than the second distance. 62. The oral treatment system of claim 61 , wherein said lower wall portion includes an outer surface that is offset from said inner surface of said upper wall portion, said inner surface of said upper wall portion being larger than said inner surface of said lower wall portion. The outer surface is positioned at a greater distance from the distal end of the occlusal platform. 63. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 59 to 62, wherein the inner surfaces of the upper and lower wall portions are substantially parallel to each other. 64. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 56 to 63, further comprising a first ridge and a second ridge, the first ridge extending upwardly from the occlusal platform and engaging the wall The upper portion of the wall of the wall is separated by a first gap, the second ridge extends downward from the occlusal platform and is spaced from the lower portion of the wall by a second gap, the first ridge and the second The ridges are offset from each other. 65. The oral treatment system of claim 56, wherein the first flexible circuit is disposed within a recess formed in an inner surface of the upper portion of the wall, and the second flexible circuit is disposed in a recess formed in the upper portion of the wall. within the recess in the inner surface of the lower portion. 66. The oral treatment system of any one of claims 56 to 65, wherein the first and second sources of electromagnetic radiation are respectively enclosed by the walls of the walls of the mouthpiece Inside the upper and lower part of the wall. 67. An oral treatment system comprising: a mouthpiece comprising a wall configured to be positioned adjacent to a user's oral cavity teeth; an electromagnetic radiation source coupled to the mouthpiece and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation onto the surface of the user's teeth; and One or more apertures in the mouthpiece configured to dispense oral treatment material into contact with the surface of the user's teeth positioned adjacent the wall.